An hour of music—wonderfully moody ballads, bluesy numbers, and almost twangy folk songs—is always an hour well spent. Even if that music largely focuses on supernatural themes. Monsters to be exact. Which is the specialty for Dr. Dour (Toby Mulford) and his plucky cellist, Peach (Rachel Spicknall Mulford).

Dr. Dour and Peach, as you can imagine, are polar opposites: her sweet to his sour, playing off each other like a vaudeville act. She wants to sing about love. He seems pretty confident love isn’t all its cracked up to be (as their songs mostly illustrate). They don’t always agree on how words are pronounced. And she wants to add (ridicules) dramatic flair to numbers, while he’s content to strum his guitar without moving around. Mulford and Mulford are an entertaining pair, both fully committing to their characters, even when things don’t go as planned. Like when a ukulele is out of tune or a strobe light doesn’t work.

Yeah, there were some bumps in the show, but Love and Other Lures—one part musical revue, one part performance piece—isn’t a bumpy show. It’s enjoyable and whimsical, and Mulford and Mulford simply clown along with whatever goes awry, acknowledging it as if it’s supposed to be that way—which makes for some unplanned, amusing moments (like an audience singing a rendition of “Love Me Do”).

Their music is equal parts doleful and silly. I mean a mummy thanks the stars “I was not cremated” during “The Pharaoh’s Croon.”

Similarly, the Siren (as in beautiful Greek legend who lures sea-voyagers to their deaths with her beautiful voice) laments “I don’t know why I keep tryin’, the men keep dyin’,” during “On the Rocks.” I guess you should try to keep it upbeat and light-hearted when singing about vampires, zombies, and the ice queen. Never take the creatures of the night too seriously. Especially the vampires in “Suckers,” my favorite from the set list, though “Sally’s Fault” is a close second.

But make no mistake, this pair are serious multi-instrumental musicians who’ve drawn from all sorts of genres to create a sound and vibe all their own. I’d love to hear them when they aren’t being their goofy (her) and ghoulish (him) alter egos, though that is a large part of their appeal and part of what makes their Love and Other Lures delightfully entertaining.

Watching Dr. Dour & Peach is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening (for kids and adults alike) and the kind of fun fare I love seeing at the Fringe. Love and Other Lures is a great little show full of big talent.

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Love and Other Lures . Created and performed by Toby Mulford and Rachel Spicknall Mulford. Collaborative direction by Elena Day. Costume design by Lynly A. Saunders. Sound and video by Kevin Boyce. Stage managed by Jenna Ballard. Reviewed by Kelly McCorkendale.

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About Kelly McCorkendale

Kelly McCorkendale is a dog-lover, avid quilter, and occassional creative writer who loves the color orange and boycotts cable (except “Game of Thrones” because, well, what if winter is coming!?). After college, she realized poets weren’t in demand, so she shipped off to Madagascar with Peace Corps. Since then, she’s found a niche working on health systems in Africa but has a long-list of life tasks yet to be fulfilled–such as perform blackmail, learn a trade, and become a competitive eater. She has an MA in International Education, believes rice is the elixir of life, and, in high school, won the best supporting actress honor for the state of Missouri. She may also recite poetry (her first love) when imbibing in alcohol.